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Things to do in Greyhawk
While Greyhawk is primarily known as The City That Adventurers Built, there are two things that all successful adventurers have in common- the possession of vast sums of money, and the desire to spend that money. Thus, while adventurers gear shops were some of the first new constructions since the initial building of the small trading post that was to become Greyhawk, shortly after those shops were finished a wide array of taverns, brothels, theatres and other places of entertainment were erected nearby. Below is only a partial listing of things to do in the Free City. The Blueberry Theatre (Stage Entertainment) The Blueberry Theatre (named such for the spherical, bright blue building's resemblance to a giant blueberry) is known far and wide for its edgy and cutting political commentary and satire. While other cities might see such theatre companies stifled or encouraged to perform more state-friendly plays, Greyhawk has a longstanding tradition of supporting the deeply critical performances of the Blueberry Theatre, as the earliest Lord Mayor was under the impression that all the best theatres performed such plays, and cheerfully delighted in the cheeky gall of the resident playwright, gnome bard Beren Tolin Tarnip Raccoon-Rioter Gulf, much to said playwright's consternation. A tradition of hiding their political commentary through innuendo and metaphor grew specifically in spite of the original Lord Mayor's attitude. Some of the more uptight members of the Directing Oligarchy eschew the theatre for it's raucous and mocking atmosphere, but many nobles, and especially the children of nobles, quite enjoy the theatre's plays, especially when they disagree with the politics of the moment in the city. The playhouse is an important stepping stone in the career of many performers, in between performing in noisy taverns and performing to packed crowds in Oerik's most well respected houses. As such, many theatre companies send scouts to the performances at the Blueberry. The Blueberry itself, however, is far from refined, and it is not uncommon for a performance to be interrupted by most of the cast diving for cover in reaction to a fellows' poor performance, expecting a volley of fruit and vegetables to pelt the stage. The young and upwardly mobile attendees of the boxes at the Blueberry are incorrigible gossips, especially about the backroom doings of their more powerful families. Gather Information, Kn.Local and Kn.Nobility/Royalty checks made in the Blueberry concerning local aristocracy and public officials are made with a +4 circumstance bonus. The current Director of the Blueberry is Madame Goschild, a half-elf bard of mysterious provenance. A night's performance (which often includes musical acts before, after and during the intermission of the play, and any number of smaller performances around it) usually costs 8sp for a mediocre seat, plus refreshments. Better seats are available for more, and there is a standing area immediately around the stage, known as the Pit, admittance to which costs a penny (1cp). There are a handful of box seats suspended directly abover the Pit, allowing one to be seen by virtually everyone there, giving the most comfortable seats, and putting one closest to the play, which cost 5gp. Stage Entertainment in the Free City The Blueberry Theatre is merely one of the most well known and accessible playhouses in Greyhawk, there are many, many other stages scattered across the Free City, of varying refinement and polish. The table below lists a few such venues and their typical prices for a night. The Checkered Circle (Fighting League) Mysteriously, Greyhawk does not have an official arena, as many cities of it's size do. In this vacuum of bloodsport, the Checkered Circle sprouted up. It is a company of rough men and women who find a night spent in the act of knocking other consenting adults unconscious with bare knuckles relaxing, whether the day was spent dealing with irritating market goers, bank co-workers who grate, or in the fields under hot sun. Clubs of this sort are technically illegal in Greyhawk, mostly for the fact that it is not a sanctioned sporting club, and the city would be unlikely to actually sanction one. Thus, measures must be taken to evade the watch. A mixture of bribes, constantly moving locations, and secrecy help keep the Circle from being raided. The fact that no small number of the Circle's fighters actually work in the watch helps as well. Combatants are typically low level adventurers, off-shift watchmen and tavern bouncers, and a few commoners who are tough enough to stand with them. The wide majority of those who follow the Checkered Circle are commoners who spectate and bet on the matches. Attendance is by invitation only, which can be gained with a DC 15 Gather Info check, spending a good bit of time and money at any of the city's cardhouses, or simply being a large and physically impressive specimen walking around town and getting into taproom brawls and scuffles with the watch. Matches have a few simple rules- *No weapons *no spells *no magic items *Innate magical abilities are allowed, but should be disclosed to Thaddeus prior to the fight so that a proper match up can be made. *Matches last until a combatant taps out, goes limp, or is thrown from the circle. *Killing an opponent is frowned upon, but not specifically against the rules. It is considered polite to seek the combatant's family and pay them a wergild of about 20 gold, depending on their status. *Bets are taken by any of the various bookies who circulate through the crowd right up until the match is started by Hairy Pete (M Bugbear) dropping a checkered handkerchief. New fighters are typically paired up against each other until they start growing reputations. Reputed fighters will face fighters with similar reputations or monsters which have been dragged in from the surrounding countryside. The Checkered Circle is currently run by an unusually tall goblin, Thaddeus Tightfist, who attends the fights in a long fur coat over bare chest, tight fitting leather armour bottoms, smoked glass lenses and a large stone pendant matched to the sigil on the chest of Stonefist, a shield guardian which referrees the fights. Another goblin, Pek Redrock monitors the fights while detecting magic to watch for people breaking the second or third rules of the fights. Hairy Pete's role in the fights seems to purely be starting them, but he may be additional muscle on Thaddeus' payroll in case a riot breaks out or a raid finds them. Veritable Veit's House of Avocations (Gambling) Much like the Blueberry sits between the lowest tavern stages and the vaunted theatres of the world's wealthy, Veritable Veit's is the same for gaming. Offeringtable games of all sorts from cards to dice to dominos and mah jong, Veit's has a central room with velvet lined tables, carved gemstone dice, comfortable chairs, and complimentary drinks (fine coffees and teas and fair quality beers, ales and meads). He also rents "Deluxury Rooms" to private parties for 5gp/hour. Veit (Veit Rumnaheim, M Dwarf) collects a rake of 5%, but makes most of his money on the rental of private rooms, a bar which serves higher quality beers, as well as ciders, wines, and liquors, and the sale of food. The establishment's atmosphere is one of friendly comradery and relaxment, and is kept such with the aid of numerous unobtrusive, but very visible bouncers (mostly humans and half orcs). A few minor magics are weaved into the building, nullifying the odors of cigars and cigarettes, as well as the effects of particularly focused gamblers refusing to leave their chairs for hours at a time, and making sure that the expensive dice do not walk out of the establishment without being paid for. The card room is a fine place for gathering gossip about the Free City, any Gather Info or Kn.Local check made regarding legends, local celebrities, famous adventurers or fabled dungeons full of loot "ripe for the taking!" are made with a +2 circumstance bonus. Tables range from 5sp to 10gp minimum bets, and are usually dice games, such as Daggers, Pitchforks or Fireball (best throw on 3, 4, or 5 six siders, resp.) or Spellbones (see below), with a handful of card games sprinkled around. There is one central table which offers games of Three Dragon Ante with a 50gp buyin every night, which is usually packed full. SpellbonesSpellbones is a dice game in which throwers try to create sets. It plays similarly to Fireball, in that the highest roll of 5 six siders wins, but 6s are magic dice which do not contribute points, and sets of dice create various creatures, which automatically beat non-creature results. In the result of two creatures being rolled, the more powerful creature wins. In a tie, the higher total of the roller's remaining dice determines the winner. Failing that, the pot is split. Creatures are listed below in order of least to most powerful. Josie's Bathhouse Josie is a cheerful female halfling who believes that a good bath can do more than just cleanse the skin, it can also cleanse the whole body, mind and spirit. Her bathhouse offers more than a soak, and in fact asks that its clients shower in the provided rooms prior to stepping into the tub, to remove detritus and dirt and not contaminate the "curative" elixirs of water and oils. In addition to these baths, the bathhouse also offers steam rooms, massages, goats milk baths, and many other relaxing repasts. Josiel believes that a proper cleanse cannot stop at cleaning the body, and maintains a large garden in the courtyard of her bathhouse for her guests' meditative purposes. The garden features elabourate arrays of fragrant plants and several tame, well-cared-for animals, including a dray of squirrels, a black bear, and a panther, which are all quite used to humanoid contact, and will often curl up with or next to the bathhouse's guests in the garden. The bathhouse has an entry fee of 5gp, which covers any and all services a guest may wish to make use of within. The clean, peaceful environment promotes healing and health, and provides a +2 circumstance bonus on saves against poison, disease and similar contaminants for 24 hours after a visit, and allows a character to recover hit points as if they'd had 8 hours of complete bed rest, regardless of how long they spend or where they sleep that night. Risel's Mall of Antiquities (Art Gallery) Risel is an expertly restored Suloise War Born who has found a new calling in his peaceful second life. In a high tower, situated in the Garden Quarter where it's open walls and many balconies can look out over natural beauty, Risel maintains his Mall of Antiquities, where he displays a great many ancient treasures and artworks recovered from all across Oerik. Each is warded with a variety of spells, and a dedicated force of guards is employed around the clock to protect the gallery. He will always pay quite handsomely for art which dates at least 1000 years back, and is quite skilled in restoration. Entrance to the mall is 10gp, but can be quite informative to those who are looking for more information on a recently recovered piece of ancient art, both for the large number of subjects to compare it to, and the large number of antiquity afficionados who spend time there. Gather Info, Appraise, and Kn.History checks made in regards to ancient art or treasures benefit from a +2 circumstance bonus while at the Mall. Risel's current exhibition is entitled "Quartets and Spirals--The Art of the Vanished Ones," and displays large slabs of stone and crystal upon which the strange designs of the vanished ones have been etched, along with smaller plates tied together with sinews to curl up tightly which have a single spiraling line with many holes of varying depth bored around it. Tamreel's Palace (Brothel) Tamreel's Palace (also known more familiarly as simply The Palace, or, to Tamreel's chagrin, Tamreel's Horde of Hookers or The Dragonlady's Luxurious Lair, or Tamreel's Carnal Cave) is a luxurious brothel in the High Quarter. While the women of the brothel can certainly be considered unusual, the brothel's madame is perhaps most unusual of all. Madame Tamreel is a Half Red Dragon of uncertain non-draconic provenance, usually to be found seated on a mound of pillows and rugs in the main room, lounging much like her firebreathing parent would, keeping watchful eye over what she herself would readily call her "hoard." (She would not, however, ever call the people who work for her "hookers," as such implies cheap, low grade alley workers, and her employees are only the best, brightest and most beautiful young people Greyhawk has to offer). As Tamreel is very much a dragon, and as she has invested quite a lot of money into her brothel, she takes great care to protect it. The doors of the brothel are enchanted to cast remove disease on all who walk through them, but also to refuse entrance to anyone with intent to harm or defile her home and business, which includes people who see sex workers as objects to be used. The best way to get into Tamreel's good graces is to ask her if you may sample the fine services and performances of her children. The common room of Tamreel's Palace is a lounge and tavern where clients drink fine liquors and chat, Tamreel's employees mingling amongst them to entice them into purchasing their services. Many illicit deals are carried out under Tamreel's eyes and protection. The Watch is entirely unwelcome inside, and all peacekeeping is done by Tamreel's other children, a force of half dragons of various types and skill sets which she employs and houses and pays quite well to protect her hoard. So long as her home/business and children are not endangered, Tamreel allows all many of drug deals, smugglings and black market sales to go on in the common room. Gather Info and Kn.Local checks made in regards to such checks benefit from a +2 bonus in Tamreel's Palace. Should her people be sufficiently endangered, Tamreel is herself quite a capable combatant, and it is rumoured that a number of her employees have lesser known, more painful talents which are not advertised. A typical night at Tamreel's Palace costs 10gp per companion, not including refreshments. There are companions both cheaper (5-8gp and an immeasurable cost to reputation for employees still in training) and more expensive (cost varies). Tamreel herself is theoretically available, but no one is known to have met her unspoken rate. The Free City's Brothels There are a great many brothels in the Free City of Greyhawk, all of varying costs. They range from the dirty and cheap, to a rumoured few that put even Tamreel's Palace to shame. Listed below are the most well known brothel of each quarter, along with the typical price per companion per night. It can generally be assumed that there are less well known brothels in the same quarter that cost anywhere from a tenth to half the listed amount, albeit generally for proportionately lesser service. *Mollie's isn't actually a brothel, and there are no brothels in Shacktown. Mollie is a common woman (Human) who makes a bit of money on the side as a whore. She is theoretically the only prostitute in shacktown, but there are other woman who would not say no to the offer of gold for a night of giving someone pleasure, and, unbeknownst to Mollie, her younger sister (18 years) is starting to take business as well (1cp). Companionship in the Free City Sex is not the only form of companionship for hire in the Free City. Tamreel's employees are available as escorts to upscale events, or any events which interest a given companion in her employ. There are a number of other escort companies in the Free City as well, typically costing half to three quarters of what the individual district's most well known brothel would charge for a night's companionship, or equal if sex is to be involved (if sex winds up being involved on an outing where it wasn't planned, it is generally left to the escort's discretion as to whether to charge the "full" rate). Some escorts are prostitutes, and some prostitutes are escorts, but the two are not the same, and escorting generally refers to non-sexual companionship at a social function. Dining Clubs also exist in the Free City, acting as large social groups which someone pays for the privilege of being a part of. Not every district has its own club, but each district which has a Dining Club has only one, with it's own yearly fee. Dining Clubs can be thought of as non-occupational guilds. Belonging to a club brings status, and possible help from one's friends in said club, but no other guild-like benefits, usually. *Perdition Station is less a dining club, and more a social circle, as such, there is no fee, but members are expected to pay for each issue of the Runagate Rampant, an iconoclastic and seditious underground tabloid printed by the central member of the Station, Mieville (M Human Curst) Exotic Services While no service might be said to be truly exotic in a city as cosmopolitan as Greyhawk, there are a wide variety of more specialized services, often related to a specific culture or race, which can nonetheless be found in the Free City's ghetteos. While there are 12 districts (somewhat inaccurately referred to as "quarters") in Greyhawk, there are many more smaller neighbourhoods where people of like culture or race group together, often referred to by colloquial nicknames, such as "Little Borough" (the halflings' ghetto), or Iron Hamlet (the Dwarves/Iron Kingdom ex-pat ghetto). In such ghettoes, one can find nearly any service appropriate to the seed culture/race, such as combination gymnasiums/target ranges/steam houses in Vesve Nursery, where wood elves of the Free City may take part in the same exercise and bathing regimens they would back home, or the Runenhauses of Iron Hamlet, where dwarves smelt, forge, and enscribe metal tools, weapons, armour, and goods in the best traditions of their race. In general, such services cost similar to a meal, unless they are more analogous to something more specific (Runenhauses, for example, are effectively masterwork workshops, and cost appropriately).